


Late Again

by Iggity



Series: Tumblr Drabbles/Prompts [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, F/F, I had people yell at me, it has a second chapter, okay i updated it because reasons, this is not a happy fic okay, with a happy alternate ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-04-04 22:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4156131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iggity/pseuds/Iggity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Per an anon prompt request on tumblr.</p><p>"13 ["Do you ever think we should just stop this?"] Korrasami for the drabble request please!"</p><p>Updated with a second chapter that has a happy alternate ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Late. Again._

Asami sighed and sat down in a chair at the kitchen table, glancing at the food cooling on the dinner plates. She blew out the candle that was set between the plates and looked at her watch again.

Korra was an hour late. Under normal circumstances, Asami wouldn’t mind; she knew her wife was the Avatar and therefore, certain responsibilities came into play every now and then. But Korra had been late to every single one of their date nights for the last four months and Asami was starting to feel shoved off to the side.

Releasing another sigh, she stood and started packing up their dinner, throwing some of Varrick’s plastic wrap over the plates and setting them in the cooler for later. She corked the wine, poured the contents of one glass into the other, and then sipped at the wine, leaving the kitchen and walking to the bedroom she and Korra shared.

 _When Korra feels like showing up_ , she thought bitterly.

**_She’s the Avatar; you knew things might be this way when you signed on for a life with her._ **

_We agreed that it would never get this bad._

**She can’t help what she has to deal with. Besides,** you **haven’t been all that perfectly lately, either, Miss CEO**.

The glass was set down on the side table and she sat on the bed, fingers in her hair, when she heard the footsteps.

‘Asami?’

Korra’s voice was soft and timid and Asami looked up to see her wife standing in the doorway of their bedroom, a soft smile on her face.

‘Hey,’ she greeted, her smile widening as Asami locked eyes with her.

‘Hey,’ Asami replied rather flatly.

Korra’s smile shrank and her hand came up to rub the back of her neck.

‘I’m really sorry I’m late, Asami, I just got caught up with planning and stuff.’

Asami reached for the glass of barely touched wine and took another sip before standing and brushing past Korra, heading to the kitchen again.

‘Are you hungry?’ she asked quietly, hearing Korra follow her.

‘Starving.’

‘Good, there’s plenty.’

Asami shoved a plate and the glass of wine into Korra’s hands and walked into the sitting room, going to stand by the window.

‘Aren’t you going to eat with me?’

‘Nope.’

‘Asami, talk to me.’

Korra was suddenly in front of her; she looked at her wife and for the first time in their relationship, Asami’s heart didn’t leap at the sight of the Avatar.

‘What about?’

‘Why you’re doing this. Not eating with me and barely talking to me. I know I’m late but that –’

‘That isn’t the point.’

‘Well, then what is?’

‘You’re late for what feels like the thousandth time in a row, which isn’t really a problem, I understand, you’re the Avatar and you have things that need to be dealt with in a timely manner but for our  _anniversary_?’

‘You’re late too,’ Korra replied, eyebrows furrowing as she crossed her arms over her chest. ‘Lunches, dates, birthdays, missed because you were holed up in your office or in a meeting.’

‘And we discussed that! I have barely any control over the meetings but I get sucked into my work, Korra, and lose track of time!’

‘Well, I don’t have the luxury of simply calling it a day when it gets late and then coming home even if I want to!’

‘I know that, that’s why I’m saying that I understand it but it seems like you’re not even trying!’

Korra’s arms dropped to her sides and Asami closed her eyes and let her chin drop to her chest as she exhaled forcefully.

‘So what are you saying, Asami? You think that we’re not clicking anymore?’

Asami lifted her head and opened her eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

‘I don’t know,’ she replied. ‘We haven’t been around each other for a long time. I don’t know if we can figure that out anymore.’

Korra started fiddling with the ring on her finger, spinning it in place absentmindedly as she watched Asami carefully.

‘So … you’re saying …’

Asami locked her gaze on Korra’s eyes.

‘Do you ever think we should just … stop this?’


	2. Alternate Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After so many people asking and an unintentional tumblr prompt, here you go. The happy alternate ending to Late Again

“So what are you saying, Asami? You think that we’re not clicking anymore?”

Asami lifted her head and opened her eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

“I don’t know,” she replied. “We haven’t been around each other for a long time. I don’t know if we can figure that out anymore.”

Korra started fiddling with the ring on her finger, spinning it in place absentmindedly as she watched Asami carefully.

“So … you’re saying …”

Asami locked her gaze on Korra’s eyes.

“Do you ever think we should just … stop this?”

Korra’s eyes widened at Asami’s words.

“You … you’re kidding, right?”

“You think _now_ would be a good time for me to start kidding around, Korra?” Asami scoffed, folding her arms over her chest.

“You can’t honestly mean that, Asami. We’ve been married for seven years. I’ve known you for fourteen, and I’ve been in love with you for twelve and counting.”

Korra’s fingers slipped under Asami’s chin and tilted the engineer’s head up. Asami frowned, her arms tightening over her chest.

“Why are you always late?” she whispered.

“I’m the Avatar, love. You gotta deal with that. You _promised_ to deal with that, the same way that I promised to deal with your late nights at the office. We both have responsibilities that are time consuming, but we knew that when we started seeing each other.”

Asami sighed and pulled away from her wife, not able to handle the physical contact. Korra’s hand dropped to her side and the Avatar’s shoulders sagged in defeat.

“You want to throw in the towel, Asami, you just say the word. But doing it over me being late to our anniversary seems kind of immature and not at all like you,” Korra softly. “If there’s something else bothering you or anything…”

Asami shook her head forcefully, still avoiding Korra’s gaze. Tears pooled at the edges of her eyes and she looked up at the ceiling, trying to stop them from spilling over.

“Do you remember the last time we had an evening together?” Asami asked. Korra blinked and slowly shook her head. “Me neither.”

“Asami-”

“Korra, I _can’t remember the last time we had an evening together_ ,” Asami repeated. “It must have been at _least_  a year ago? I know we were together for our sixth anniversary but I can’t remember anything after that. An entire year, Kor! Do you remember when even a few hours away was too long? The times when most of the evening and the entire night was spent together in bed?”

“Of course I remember them, Asami. What do you think my happiest memories are? Being with you. All of them are from when I was with you,” Korra murmured, taking a step closer. “Asami, you are the one person in the world that I would do absolutely anything for. That’s always been the case, sweetheart.”

“I know. But lately I’m lucky if I wake up in the middle of the night and have you there with me.”

“I … I usually stay on Air Temple Island if it’s really late.”

“Well, don’t. I don’t see you enough as it is.”

“Well, don’t sleep in your office.”

“You could let me know when you’re not sure if you’re going to make it home by 10.”

“You want me _check in_  with you?”

“You’re the _Avatar_! I want you to check in with me so I know that you’re still _alive_!” Asami snapped.

“You come home by 9:30 and I’ll call you by 10 if I’m not gonna make it home.”

“No more sleeping on Air Temple Island.”

“Promise. No more sleeping at the office.”

Asami nodded, the tears spilling down her cheeks. Korra reached forward tentatively to brush the moisture away. Asami reached up and covered Korra’s hand with her own, stepping closer.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Korra cupped her face in her hands and started scattering kisses all over. She brought their foreheads together and closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry, too, Asami.”

“I love you, Korra, I don’t want -”

“Shh, I know. Me neither. So we won’t. We reopen our lines of communication and try harder. I’m not losing you over something like this, Asami. I love you too much.”

"You’re not losing me, Kor.”

“Good, because you’re not losing me, either.”

Asami wrapped her arms around Korra, burying her face in the Avatar’s neck, her body shaking as she sobbed. The couple stayed wrapped in each other until Korra’s stomach rumbled loudly. Asami’s sobs had died down and she laughed as she pulled back. A worried look crossed Korra’s face and Asami kissed her gently in reassurance.

“Come eat with me?” she asked quietly.

Korra grinned.

“It’s after midnight, Asami.”

“Doesn’t matter. I want my anniversary dinner with my wife.”

Korra’s arms wrapped around Asami from behind, lips pressing to the engineer’s cheek.

“Sounds perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not writing any more for this. The whole point of the ending is that you can chose the path it goes down next. I hope you like it, even if it ripped out your heart!
> 
> EDIT: Yeah there's a second chapter and it's happy I promise.


End file.
